PEOPLE barred from pubs in Frodsham will face a long walk for a pint as licensees join forces to make drinking a safer experience.

The majority of bars and pubs in the town have joined the newlylaunched Pubwatch, which means drinkers banned from one will be barred from them all.

Police liaison officer for the scheme, PC Emma Parry of the Frodsham Community Action Team (CAT), said: 'There are 11 licensees who are part of the scheme.

'They are very eager to make it work. If they come across acts of violence, people supplying or using drugs, threatening or abusive behaviour, damaging the premises or theft from or near the premises, then it gives licensees the opportunity to not only ban them from their own premises but to ask the Pubwatch members if they will ban them from the whole of Frodsham, which has major repercussions for the customer because it's a long walk for a pint in the end.'

She added: 'Pubwatch is working really well across the Congleton and Vale Royal area and there is no reason why it won't work in Frodsham.

'What we all want is that people behave in and around licensed premises. It's good for the police, it's good for other customers and it's good for the trade.'

All the pubs and bars involved in the scheme have Pubwatch posters on display.

Licensee of the Bears Paw, Alan Coughlan, said Pubwatch was a 'marvellous idea'.